St Leonards Primary School

Please come along on Saturday 18 May to cast your vote in the Federal election and support our school by purchasing a ‘democracy sausage’ from our BBQ or a sweet treat from the cake stall. All funds raised go towards new resources for the school.

We will be increasing the information being communicated to families via the app. This will also include an eNewsletter that can be downloaded or viewed on the app and has the ability to be translated into many languages. Both formats of the newsletter will be available during the transition period. The newsletter will continue to be emailed. We will keep you informed as new features become available.

Unfortunately we are still having some issues with parking at the school during drop off and pick up times. This has lead to complaints from residents who have been unable to access their properties and also concerns about student safety.

 As a result the Council will be increasing their patrols. They came by during the week to remind people of the rules and that fines may be issued from now on.

 Please take note of all parking signs. The ‘Kiss and Drop” zone on Russell Street has a 3 minute time limit and you must stay with your vehicle at all times. If you need to exit your car please park in the appropriate zones. 

 On Jervois Street there is a no parking/standing zone which means there is no parking/stopping on the broken yellow lines between 8:00am and 4:00pm. This is to ensure there is a clear line of sight for students and pedestrians to cross safely.

 Please also be mindful of residents and parking restrictions on the side streets surrounding the school.

 The safety of our learners and their families is paramount. Your help in this matter is greatly appreciated.

You can purchase an Entertainment Book for $70 from the Office, through QKR! or online. Monies raised are for our new Nature Play Area.

Congratulations to Jack Band Taylah R who have both  been selected to represent the south west district in the upcoming Metropolitan Athletics Championships on Tuesday 21 May.

 Jack will be competing in the 10 year old discus and Taylah in the 11 year old 200m and the relay. We wish them lots of luck.

We are half way through the month of May and Jimmy's 22 Million Steps is moving along well. We have had lots of eager steppers participating in our attempt to 'walk' around Australia (22 millions steps) as a whole school.

Presently we are around the SA/WA border but steps keep coming in everyday. Fundraising is also moving along well, having hit over $200 raised for Brainchild so far. If you would like to donate to this amazing cause jump on our fundraising page:

https://jimmys22millionsteps2019.everydayhero.com/au/StLeonardsPrimarySchool and use your child's name as a reference.

Students can still get involved if they aren't already, just speak to their teacher or come and see Miss Rollings in Room 3. There is plenty of time to get on board and help families who have a child suffering a brain tumour.

 Kathleen Rollings

Last Friday a group of parents met in the STEM area for a coffee and a chat. We talked about ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder) and shared experiences about having a child on the spectrum, possible resources and support services. We also discussed the overwhelming feelings around attaining a diagnosis, and sometimes the lack of understanding about ASD in the wider community.

Our next meeting will be held on Friday 7 June from 2 – 3pm. Everyone is welcome, as our children’s needs are not limited to ASD.

This group is about connecting with other parents in a relaxed forum. Hope to see you at the next meeting. From this meeting a suggestion has been made that we have a school Facebook page that shares information about upcoming parent workshops etc. We will look at getting this page up and running soon. Please keep an eye out for the Inclusive Education at SLPS Facebook page.

Kathy Baker

Thanks to all that ordered the showdown donuts and fruit buns.  274 donuts and 2 fruit buns were sold. The Crows were the winner with this too. Showdown Treat is a fundraiser for the canteen and is available twice a year. This term’s daily specials have changed. Some can be adapted  to cater for a variety of dietary needs. Gluten Free Rice Wheels are also available.

Our school garden is providing us with a  great variety of fresh vegetables. The vegetable lasagne is made with carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin, zucchini and capsicums all grown in our school garden. I can make it dairy free (vegan) with a soy béchamel and dairy free cheese if required. Homemade soup will available next week for $2 a cup. This week will be the last week for Slushies, however they will return when the weather heats up.  As an alternative, we will have fruit, yogurt smoothies available.

Just a reminder that if you forget to pack a spoon or fork for your child’s lunch, they are available for sale at the canteen. 10 cents would be appreciated. The canteen will not heat any lunches bought from home.  I will not be responsible for re heating food that has been unrefrigerated for most of the day. Adding boiling water to cup noodles is also not available.  Left over Happy Meals, quiche and rice have all found their way to me and they would be best to stay home refrigerated.

More volunteers are needed to help run the canteen.  If you can spare an hour or two in the morning after drop off, please call into the canteen and we can get a roster happening.  You don’t have to commit to a regular time. If you find you have time to spare one day just call in.

Sadly, this week is the last for my star helper. Thanks Chrisna for years of volunteering in the canteen. I really appreciate  your help and wish you all the best for your new paid job.

Katrina, Canteen Manager

For our Week 3 workshop the students mixed and baked ANZAC biscuits that will be sold at the cake stall on Saturday.

They organised themselves into groups and problem solved to get the best consistency.

Please remember to bring your passports to the Office for me to stamp.

Heather Pronk, CU Coordinator

Hello everyone!

Well as this week draws to a close, for some learners, it has been a new experience with respect to NAPLAN, whilst for others, knowing what to expect, they’ve handled things like the professionals they are.  We are so very proud of how our learners have approached the tasks at hand, as always they have embraced our school values and used them to their advantage to successfully complete their work.

It may have been challenging at home and you may have noticed changes in your child’s behaviour leading up to and during the NAPLAN experience … this is completely natural as children navigate their emotions, endeavouring to self-regulate themselves during this time.  I know when I am facing a challenge, test or unfamiliar task, even as an adult, it is easy to become overwhelmed, stressed and worried about knowing the material and ultimately the end result … as a child those emotions and worries at times can be magnified! 

Here at St. Leonards, the lead up to NAPLAN, has seen our learners practising the material to give each one of them the very best chance to be successful, whilst alleviating as much pressure as possible, to ensure a seamless, successful outcome.  Our incredible educators invest so much time, experience and energy assisting our learners to feel confident and calm about the tasks at hand.

It’s always important to keep the NAPLAN testing in context, remembering it is only one way of evaluating the success of your child within the school setting … we are very proud of each and every learner at St Leonards and we are really impressed at how each one has embraced the opportunity to measure one area of their education at this time.  We hope that it has been a positive time for your child and that ‘normality’ will be restored (that is, if indeed you have noticed changes over the past few weeks with regard to your child’s attitude or behaviour that might be explained if they have been involved in the NAPLAN testing!) 

Hoping you enjoy the weekend, whatever it may hold for you and your family … stay warm, cheer and encourage loudly if you’re sitting on the sidelines watching your child participate in sport, or if you’re involved in barracking for your favourite sports team … may it be a positive, happy experience for you! 

Take care of yourself and those around you … share kindness, positivity and good vibes with everyone you meet (it’s highly contagious you know!) and one kind word or gesture has the potential to create ripple affect … who knows how many people might be the recipient of your initial act of kindness … it might only be a smile, but to another … it might mean the world!! 

Keep smiling, until next time …

 Karen Thorogood, Pastoral Care Worker